World Compass
by Ann O'Neem
Summary: "Heichou, Heichou," he muttered under his breath. "What the hell does that even mean? Why are you always calling me that? And how the hell do you know my name when I don't even know yours?" "Like I thought," the teen said softly as he walked towards the adult. "You really don't remember me..."


**So this story has been plaguing my mind since weeks ago and as it can't let me write anything else, I decided to write it. So, yup. Reincarnation story (or stories~). I've always wanted to see if I'm able to write those.**

**Also, English isn't my first language so if you see errors, tell me. I don't bite. I swear.**

**As I listened to "Coming Home" by Skylar Grey by the end of the chapter, I'm already excusing myself for the sugary fluff. (I regret nothing though.)**

* * *

**World Compass**

_Levi_

Being on a dingy platform at almost a whole mile from the ground can make a normal grown man shake in his boots. Especially if that said platform was sustained by only two thin steel string. And if that platform shook and groaned loudly whenever there was a strong wind out there. A normal man would have probably emptied his stomach by the time that platform had shivered with an ominous creak.

Luckily for everyone under him, Levi wasn't like every other guy.

Mostly because Levi was a window cleaner totally dedicated to his work and because of that, no matter how his platform shook, he never faltered from cleaning those filthy windows.

Truth to be told, Levi wasn't a guy very impressive at first glance. With his short black hair and heavy lidded eyes that were set on a perpetual glare, he looked more like a moody kid than a window cleaner. Maybe it was because he was of a small stature. Or because his face didn't seem to age.

But even if he had glaring eyes and a potty mouth that could make cry thugs without even trying, it seemed that Levi also possessed something that simply attracted weirdos.

And that also explained why he liked to work on an unstable platform every day without any means of security.

Levi hissed between his teeth and he sprayed more product on the window before passing his cleaning rag on it. He frowned and scrubbed harshly at the pigeon droppings that seemed to never get off of that damned window.

A sudden gust of wind ruffled his hair and Levi sighed. He wiped clean the window and raised his eyes to look at the sky.

It wasn't as blue as when he had began to clean that side of the building. Levi cursed himself to not have brought his umbrella with him. Also, if it rained, that would mean that he wouldn't be able to work. The young adult cursed once again and he put away his cleaning tools in his bag before he took off his working hat and raked his fingers through his hair.

He lay on the dingy platform and looked with a frown at the greying sky. Some black tresses fell over his eyes and the platform gently swayed while the wind increased.

Levi heard a window open and he inwardly flinched.

Goddammit, he had just cleaned it and now some idiot was already putting his filthy hands on it.

"Well, well, isn't the great window cleaner working hard today?"

Levi rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the familiar and hated voice. The other smirked at him and passed his head through the window opening so he could continue his taunting.

"As always, you're working harder than us," the salaryman praised with sneer. "Truly an example to follow!"

Levi ignored the other once again and observed the sky. The clouds were now so heavy that the rain would fall in the following minutes. He looked at his watch and sighed. If he made the platform go up, he would be right in the turbulence zone if there was a storm.

"Niles," Levi heard another voice talk. "Zachary is looking for you, there is a problem with the printer."

"I'll see what it is," the salaryman's head disappeared from the window and Levi didn't move an inch.

He had recognised that voice.

"There you are," the man who had called Niles before said softly. "I thought that you were working on the East side today..."

Ignoring the man wouldn't stop the other from talking so Levi raised his upper-torso and glared at the man. It was a salaryman with short blond hair and thick eyebrows. His stern blue eyes were looking at him intensively and for the millionth time since they had met, Levi wondered why the other man always looked at him like that.

"The East side won't have enough sun today," Levi shrugged and went back to his laying position. "So I went to this side. But that was a shitty decision. The weather is awful and you're there."

The blond man laughed softly and he opened the window wide so he could lean his torso on the railing.

"Aren't you a ball of sunshine?" he teased before sobering when he was met with Levi's murdering glare.

The latter opened his mouth to destroy the man's spirit when he was suddenly stopped by a raindrop on his nose. Levi blinked and he scowled when other raindrops began to fall on him.

"Scout over," he growled while the rain worsened. "I'm getting in."

The blond man didn't argue and took a step back. Meanwhile, Levi took the strap of his bag and swiftly jumped in the lobby of which he had cleaned the windows. The platform creaked loudly from his jump and Levi glanced at it. One of the steel strings was vibrating and it was a bad sign. That meant that it would break if it had to suffer another pull like that.

"So," Levi said so he would forget about the sorry state of his tools. "What do you want from me, Smith? Want me to hold your hand while you take a shit?"

The blond man laughed softly and shook his head.

"Nothing like that, Levi," he answered and his eyes glinted with something that Levi couldn't quite pinpoint. "I just wanted a little chat with my dear old friend!"

Levi deadpanned and looked at the man.

"What the hell do you want," he hissed.

The blond rolled his eyes and sighed wearily after some seconds.

"Okay, you got me," he muttered. "I need to tell you something..."

"Like always," Levi shrugged and he got out of the lobby. "So, where will it be?"

"My office," Smith answered with a thin smile. "We won't be disturbed there."

"You kinky little shit," Levi snorted. "You never were so self-conscious before..."

The blond face-palmed and muttered something in his hand before he shook his head softly.

"It concerns my work," he explained softly while they went to his office. "I'm stuck..."

"That explains your constipated face," Levi commented matter-of-factly.

The salaryman ignored his remark and opened his office door. Once it was closed behind them, his face darkened and he stopped smiling softly.

Levi rolled his eyes and leaned on a wall. He was semi curious to find out what had perturbed the normally calm blond.

* * *

**(눈_눈)**

* * *

The discussion with Smith had taken more time than he had thought. It was now way past the working hours and Levi was pretty sure that he was now the only one in the building. The window cleaner got out of the office with a scowl and he kneaded his tense shoulders while he walked slowly towards the lobby. He still needed to get back on his platform so he could stock it on the rooftop. Once he was in the lobby, he glanced at the sky and scowled. It wasn't raining outside.

It was storming.

Levi's face darkened and he observed his platform. The weakened steel string was now shaking so much that he was pretty sure that the platform wouldn't support his weight. He sighed and kneaded his eyebrows while he pondered over his choices left. He could always go to the rooftop and use the automatic trail to collect the platform. Or he could wage his life and jump on that damned platform and use the manual trail to get to the rooftop.

He glanced at the moving platform and then at the stormy sky.

Rooftop it was.

He ignored the elevator and took the stairs. Even if it was more than four floors to climb, Levi hated elevators. In fact, he hated being between four walls and with a lot of people. It was something like a pet peeve of his. Because Levi clearly didn't have claustrophobia.

When he got to the rooftop and he opened the door to get out, Levi was startled by the intensity of the winds and he squinted his eyes to try to discern something from the rooftop.

Now that he was out and in a higher place, he could see that the storm was stronger than he had thought. He was already drenched by the rain and Levi tried to ignore that fact. Even if he had had an umbrella, he would have ended drenched.

He tsk-ed and walked towards the railing where he had fixed his platform. The winds were so harsh that he stumbled some times and Levi wondered if he would get out of this alive. But he quickly forgot everything about that when he finally got to his trailing. He pushed the button and heard with relief the mechanics buzz while they trailed the dingy platform. The winds increased in ferocity and Levi was suddenly thrown from the rooftop.

He widened his eyes in surprise and watched the sky rumble around him before he saw a steel string. He quickly stretched his hand and caught it. His skin burned from the friction and his fall stopped short. Levi hissed in pain and he looked around him. He was at ten feet from the platform and it was still going up.

God bless that automatic trailing mechanism.

Levi blinked and scowled when he realised that the rain had drenched his uniform so much that he looked like a drenched cat. He shook his head to free his eyes from his wild bangs and his grey eyes caught a glimpse of something that clearly shouldn't have been here.

It had been a flash of red and steam.

Levi blinked and he was once again surrounded by the heavy rain and the harsh wind. He was tossed around and he gritted his teeth while he tightened his grip on the steel string. The platform was now at mere feet from him and he wondered if he should jump.

Levi decided against it and looked around him, trying to see if he had had a hallucination or if he had really seen a red and steamy giant. His feet suddenly touched the railing of the platform and he let out a relieved smile.

However, just as he was about to stop clinging for his life to the steel string, he distinctively heard a snap in the middle of the storm and Levi felt his heart stop when he saw that one of the strings had finally broke under all the pressure from the storm.

His stomach didn't appreciate at all the sudden fall and he used one of his legs to take a hold of the platform while he kept on clinging on the steel string. But that one was also weakened by all those pulls and Levi gritted his teeth.

He was stuck.

And of course, with that kind of storm, no one would be looking up to the rooftop and see him.

What a shitty luck.

Levi noticed that the trailing mechanism had stopped and he sighed. He really was stuck there.

He dropped his head and closed his eyes. He felt something like a sting on his neck and he looked up. His eyes widened in surprise when he caught a glimpse of sea-green, a coat of arm with two wings, roses and a crying face and he gulped silently.

He was having another fit of hallucinations.

Where were his medicaments?

In his car of course. Levi grunted and rolled his eyes. So here he was, stuck in the middle of a storm, hanging on a thread and with hallucinations.

"Great," he muttered and he scowled when he had a mouthful of raindrop at the very moment he opened his mouth. "So very fucking great!"

The winds tossed him once again and he grunted when he was pressed against the windows that he had cleaned previously. Levi briefly wondered who would be the one to clean his blood from the windows if he were to die there.

His keen ears perceived something akin to a whirling and Levi tried to ignore it. It was a hallucination.

After all, it was always that sound that woke him every morning. A disturbingly familiar whirling, a smell of pig roasted and the taste of blood in his mouth.

So the man ignored that strange sound and kept trying to stay alive. His back was pressed by the platform against the windows and as such, he couldn't really move. Really, he was pretty much fucked right now. The whirling intensified and Levi considered breaking a window and getting over this quickly.

He freed his legs from the platform and winced when the steel, once it wasn't kept away by his legs, began to lean heavily on his chest. Levi panted harshly and he gave kick to the window behind him. It didn't even bulge.

Levi scowled and tried once again while the whirling increased even more. He could even hear tiny puff of steam and something like swords being unsheathed.

The window cleaner shook his head. As if he knew what kind of sound a sword being unsheathed made. He didn't even like watching movies. He gave another kick to the window and then froze.

His hallucination had worsened.

A man wearing some strange uniform was actually flying towards him with two swords in his hands.

Levi blinked and he looked around him quickly before he looked back at the man. As the latter was moving very fast, Levi had just the time to notice that the man had a really young looking face and stunning sea-green eyes before he was brutally tackled against the windows.

Windows that shattered under that impact, by the way.

Levi coughed heavily once the shock had passed and he blinked as he watched the ceiling swirl above him. He could feel the man over him and he hated how heavy he was. He almost couldn't breathe.

"Move," Levi ordered with a stern voice once he got over the news that he was still alive and had been saved by one of his hallucinations.

The man seemed to hear him as he quickly stood up and stretched a hand to help him stand. Levi ignored it and glanced around them. They were on a dark office in the highest floor. From what Smith had told him about his firm, it was where the big bosses worked.

'_Well_,' Levi thought with a smirk. '_The big boss is going to have a big surprise..._'

He then remembered the hallucination aka savior and he finally looked at him.

It wasn't a man, Levi realised with surprise. It actually was really young man, almost a teenager. The boy had short and unkempt chocolate coloured hair with the biggest sea-green eyes he had ever seen. Also, the teenager had his right fist on his chest while the left was on his back.

"Are you alright, sir?" The teen asked.

His voice was worried and he was already biting his lips nervously. Levi frowned.

How was it that this brat right there was so worried about him? It was weird.

"Who the hell are you, shitty brat?" He retorted with a drawl.

The boy yipped and his eyes (that were already so big and soulful) widened even more.

"Y-you really don't remember, Heichou?" The teen asked with a frail voice.

"What the hell should I remember?" Levi answered with a shrug. "That you saved me?"

"N-no!" The kid cried and his eyes were now glaring daggers at the window cleaner. "Do you remember me, Heichou?"

"Should I?"

"I can't believe it," the teenager raked his fingers through his chocolate tresses and stressed over the last words. "I can't fucking believe it! They got you!"

Levi frowned and decided right there and then that the boy was a lunatic. He observed the teenager to assess if he would try to kill him and noticed that the boy was wearing some kind of straps that were all linked to a mechanical thing. The two swords were sheathed there too.

Almost in a daze, Levi raised a hand and put in on one of the sheathes. He knew that they weren't only sheathes, instinctively. His fingers grazed the tube on top of the sheathes and he remembered the whirling sound and the tiny puff of steam that he had heard every morning in his hallucinations.

"How is it called?" He asked with an almost reverential voice.

The teen seemed taken aback by his question and he blinked before he sighed.

"It's a tridimensional manoeuver gear," he finally said softly. "You seriously don't remember anything at all?"

Levi frowned and stopped looking at the tridimensional manoeuvre gear. He felt almost as if he had a lump in his throat and that wasn't a familiar feeling. His grey narrowed and he pursed slightly his lips while he glared at the teen.

The latter was still mumbling something under his breath about how impossible something was and Levi was slowly getting angry at the boy's nonsensical behaviour. He just couldn't understand what was going on. And also, they had just destroyed the big bosses' window. And Levi was sure as hell that he wasn't going to be the one to pay the reparations.

The window cleaner sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair, tugging back his cleaning bandana and setting it around his neck. Then, he sat on the big mahogany desk and crossed his legs while he leaned his chin on his joined hands.

"So, who the hell are you?" He asked with a deadpan voice. "And what the fucking hell were you doing out there with that gear?"

The teen gaped and closed his mouth swiftly before covering it with his hand. His sea green eyes were looking everywhere except at the adult and Levi frowned when he noticed it. So the brat didn't want to tell him the truth.

Very well.

Levi jumped to his feet and walked silently towards the door. He put his hand on the handle and stopped just in front of the door, straining his ears to hear what was the brat doing. He heard some clothes ruffling and the distinctive clicks of the gears but that was it.

However, just as he was about to open the door, Levi wasn't surprised to see that the teen was already behind him and he watched with bored eyes the tanned hand that was pushing the door to close it.

"What the hell are you doing," Levi hissed through his gritted teeth.

"You can't leave," the other answered with a stressed voice.

The adult tensed and he tried to ignore how intense that voice had been. Or how close that damned brat was. Also, he was slowly getting dizzy and he really needed to take his medication right now.

Getting back to the fucking asylum when he had finally left it after all those painful years was a no-no.

Levi closed his eyes and inspired deeply through his nose. He slowly counted to ten and turned around so he faced the teenager. Then, he opened his eyes and glared at him.

Grey met sea green and the window cleaner frowned when he saw the other widen his eyes in shock and small tears seep on his eyes.

"What the hell?" Levi muttered and he folded his arms on his chest. "Are you crying on me, brat?"

That last word was enough to break the dam and big, fat tears rolled on the teen's face. He sniffed loudly and a sob made his whole body shudder while he hunched over the adult, his hand still pushing close the door.

"Am not," the teen said weakly and Levi rolled his eyes when he felt the former hid his face on his shoulder.

"Get off," he grunted without moving. "You're heavy. And you fucking stink."

It was true. The boy smelled of iron and dust. But there was also that underlying sent of lemon and sun that seemed so familiar even if he had never smelled it before. Levi felt his heart clench and that was enough to make him frown. He didn't like feeling like that.

In fact, he didn't like feeling at all.

He didn't have to take a heavy medication for nothing after all.

"Sorry, Heichou," the teen said weakly and his voice almost broke when he added. "It's just... seeing you alive... I can't..."

"You don't make any fucking sense," Levi stated and he kicked the boy's shins because he was progressively getting antsy with the latter's proximity. "Get off. How many times do I have to say it?"

The brown haired boy laughed weakly and he finally took a step back, his green eyes puffed from the tears that were still running freely on his face. He seemed to realise it and swiftly rubbed his sleeve against his eyes and nose.

"Gross," Levi commented with a sneer.

"Sorry, Heichou," the other repeated.

"Can't you say anything else?"

"I'm so sorry! I should just..." The teen suddenly exclaimed and the adult frowned.

Seeing the boy apologise so much wasn't normal. It was even abnormal. And he didn't even know him!

_Really_?

Levi frowned and looked at his shoes. His rangers boot (that he always wore, no matter what the others said about etiquette or proper uniform. He was a fucking window cleaner, not a businessman!) were still humid and covered small pieces of glass. He had been lucky to not have had any dangerous injuries from the collision with the window.

Sudden flashes of bloodied corpse, of men with their heads, torsos or legs missing vividly came in his mind and he shook his head. The hallucinations were worsening.

"Heichou?"

Levi heard the faraway voice of the teen and tried to answer the latter with a witty retort however he couldn't. He was surrounded with visions of green capes billowing in the wind, swords flashing in the sun, blood being spilled and covering his cheeks before it vanished in steam, ...

Levi gasped and fell to his knees, his hand on his head while he closed his eyes.

"Heichou!"

Levi grunted weakly and tried to bat away the hands that were brutally shaking him by his shoulders.

"Medication," he finally got to say through the groans of suffering.

"Where?" The teen was swift to answer and Levi let his head fall back.

He was surprised when he felt himself be lifted and groaned when his cheek grazed the leather vest of the teenager. He heard the strong heartbeat and Levi frowned weakly when he felt the impossible heat seep through the young's clothes and surround him. They were back outside, he could feel the rain petting his face and the wind ruffling his hair. But it suddenly stopped as the teen's smell suddenly surrounded him and Levi took a deep breath.

"Where, Heichou?"

"M'car."

The teen was now walking and Levi shivered as his head was now full of gigantic bodies that were eating people. People that he had held dear.

"Damn, I can't open it," the window cleaner heard faintly through his delirium.

He moved slightly his head and tried to open his eyes. In the midst of all of his visions, he got to see the teen's face, the latter was glaring at the locked door and he was fumbling with it while he tried to hold the adult with his arm left.

"Let me do it," Levi mumbled as he weakly pushed the teen and fumbled in his cleaner outfit pocket. He finally found his key and opened his car, letting himself fall in the seat and looking in the glover case. He quickly found his medicine and gulped the two necessary pills without water. Levi grimaced when he almost choked on them and made a disgusted face when the familiar dizziness began to take its hold on his weakened body.

He let out a heavy sigh and put an arm on his face, covering his eyes. He could hear the heavy rain fall on the car's roof and he almost let himself be lulled to sleep with that sound. However, he had forgotten about the teenager.

"Heichou? Are you alright now?"

Levi almost jumped in surprise and merely let out an annoyed groan while he let his arm fall from his face and glared at the roof. He heard the teen shuffle nervously outside and the latter sighed heavily before getting into the car. His tridimensional manoeuvre gear clicked unhappily and the teen seemed overstuffed in the small car. Levi raised his head to look at him and smirked when he noticed the reddened cheeks and ears and how the boy was shuffling nervously in his seat.

"That kind of thing isn't very practical if you can't even get in a car," Levi stated calmly and the teen seemed to be startled by his voice.

"Heichou! You're alright!" He exclaimed and he almost glomped the window cleaner. However Levi was swift on his feet and he kicked the boy on his face to stop him from moving.

"Stop that shit and get talking," he glared at the teen and moved so they both were sitting normally.

The teen glanced at his gear and frowned when he saw that the two tubes with the gas were crooked. Same for the sheathes.

"It's a long story, sir," he finally sighed and glanced with hopeful eyes at the adult. "Can't we talk about that somewhere else? Somewhere more... private maybe?"

Levi snorted and shook his head, the nerve of this boy!

"You won't be fucking me," he deadpanned and was rewarded with the teen going sherry red and spluttering madly.

"W-what?! I'd never! I mean... If Heichou wanted... But that's not the case! And even so..."

"Oi, brat," Levi sighed as he punched the boy's arm. "Let's swap places."

"W-w-what?" The boy was now beet red and his eyes were swirling nervously.

"Get out," the adult tapped lightly the steering wheel with his fingers and the teen widened his eyes before he laughed weakly.

"Of course," he said with a relieved face. "You mean that! Of course..."

He stepped out of the car and Levi swiftly switched seats and put his hands on the steering wheel, his key was already on the contact and he met the teen's green eyes.

"Thanks for saving my life," the window cleaner said through his gritted teeth.

The teen beamed and walked around the car until he was in front of the other door. "You're welcome! But it's only normal, I mean, you saved my life so many times and... what are you doing?"

Levi merely cocked his head and stretched almost imperceptibly his lips. His car was already on and it rumbled unhappily before he stepped harshly on the acceleration pedal. He left the building parking with a loud steering of tires and avoided expertly the circulation.

Leaving the teen all alone in the deserted parking.

"What?" The boy said weakly before he covered his face with his hands. "Goddammit, I almost had him!"

* * *

**(눈_눈)**

* * *

《The subject was approached today.》

《How did it react?》

《I'm afraid that we lost contact before we got to see something conclusive. I suggest to continue the experiment.》

《Very well. Don't forget our goal.》

《I'd never.》

《Did you catch the abnormal?》

《No, it's smarter than it looks. The subject abandoned it in a public parking and it escaped before our squad got there.》

《If that's the case, get someone to follow the subject. We can't lose it now that we're so close.》

《Very well, sir.》

* * *

**(눈_눈)**

* * *

〔So? Have you finally found him?〕

〔Yeah...〕

〔You don't sound so excited than I'd have thought... What happened?〕

〔He doesn't remember. Not even us or anything at all! He was so surprised when he saw me. It hurts. It hurst so much...〕

〔Don't worry. He'll remember. Or I'll make him.〕

〔Please, don't do that, I want him alive.〕

〔But he's making you cry...〕

〔Still, I prefer him alive. Also, he seems sick.〕

〔Got it, I'll tell Hanji.〕

〔Thanks.〕

〔...〕

〔What?〕

〔When are you going to tell me that you need help?〕

〔I kinda forgot... I have three bodies to dispose of. And I'm stuck in a alley hole.〕

〔On my way.〕

〔You're the best.〕

* * *

**(눈_눈)**

* * *

The following morning, Levi woke up with an headache and his whole body aching. He groaned loudly as he stretched in his dingy but pristine clean bed and he glanced at his clock.

「18:38」

Well, he was now too late to even bother going to work. Levi sighed blissfully and closed his eyes, burrowing his face in his (equally pristine clean) pillow. For the first time since his release, he didn't hear that strange whirling and that was pure bliss. But that didn't stop his stomach from grumbling loudly.

Levi groaned another time and finally got out of his bed, wincing with every step as he went to his diminutive kitchen. Being a window cleaner, he didn't have enough money to have a big apartment. Thus, that let him with a diminutive sole room (with kitchen in the hall). But he had a private bathroom and that was all that mattered.

He prepared his tea and took out his pills. He rolled them in his palm, looking without really seeing those barcodes carved on it and he sighed before chugging them and passing the atrocious taste with his green tea.

Suddenly, he heard a knock at his door and Levi tensed.

He wasn't one to invite his friends to stay over. Or to even have friends. So that wasn't normal.

He had brief vision of a man with a knife jumping from a door to kill him before he chased it. His pills were slow to take their toll in the morning.

He took one of his sharpest knives and took a deep breath before he relaxed his body. His heartbeat was normal when he opened the door and thrusted the knife towards the person who had knocked.

"Hey!" Levi widened his eyes in shock and swiftly changed the course of his attack, his knife nicking the vest of his visitor.

"Fuck, Irwin!" He cursed as he threw the knife to the filthy floor. He then glared at the blond and frowned when he noticed that the salaryman had a plastic bag in his hands. "What's that?"

"Supper," Smith answered with a wry smile. "I wouldn't have thought that you'd have attacked me to get it. You should eat more, Levi. It makes you irritable."

"Yeah, yeah," the dark haired man scoffed and opened the door wide while he retrieved his knife and went to sink to carefully wash it. "Why are you here?"

"Didn't I already say it? Supper," Irwin shook the plastic bag and Levi felt saliva rush to his mouth when he noticed the delicious smell of curry.

"You're an ass," he retorted and he went to his cupboard to take out two plates and sets of cutlery. "But thanks anyways. Why did you do it?"

"I heard the bosses talking about you this morning," Smith shrugged and put the bag on the table in the middle of the room. Levi used it for a lot of things and put it in the hall when he went to bed. "They were saying that one of the windows had been broken and that your trail was on the ground, totally destroyed. What happened?"

"Mmm," Levi mumbled as he took a serving of curry. He blew on his steaming hot curry and ate it with a rare smile of pleasure. "Damn trail broke and I almost died. Nothing really important."

"Right," Irwin snorted and shook his head softly. "Only you would say that. So you aren't hurt?"

Levi blinked and stopped admiring his curry to look at his friend or whatever Smith was. The latter was looking at him with stern eyes and something else in his face.

"Did something else happen?" The blond asked while he idly played with the curry with his spoon. "Did you met someone?"

Levi gulped and frowned. The curry was delicious but he couldn't appreciate it when someone was doing the remake of the Inquisition in front of him.

"It was fucking storming," he deadpanned. "Like I'd have met someone as crazy as me out there. I was in the roof, Smith."

The salaryman nodded with a pensive face and Levi went back to his curry. However he couldn't appreciate it and he ended up pushing his plate away.

"Already finished?" Smith asked.

"Yeah," Levi got up and opened a cupboard to take some clean clothes. "I need a shower."

Irwin mumbled something and the other went to his bathroom. As the walls were very thins, they could hear each other and Levi wasn't really surprised when he heard the blond talk.

"Nile missed your snarky remarks today."

"Is that so," Levi snorted and went under the cold spray of water. "I always knew he was a masochist."

"Also," Smith added and the dark haired man hummed lightly while he washed his hair. "A teenager went by the office today and asked for you..."

"FUCK!" Levi winced as he hadn't expected that scream to be so loud.

"Levi?"

"Nothing," he quickly reassured the blond. "Just got soap in my eyes. It stings like a bitch."

"If you say so. Who's the kid?"

"What kid?" Levi washed his body and winced when he noticed that he had some scratches over his legs. They were probably from his little stunt. Also, his palms were really sore.

"The teenager that asked for you today."

"Who knows," he deadpanned and went out of the shower. He took his towel and dried himself. All the while, he had those damn familiar green eyes in his mind. "What did he look like?"

"Brown hair, looked like a normal teen," Irwin answered with a calm voice.

That didn't really correspond with the teen wearing a tridimensional manoeuvre gear that couldn't even get into a car.

"He had stunning green eyes now that I think about it."

"Fuck," Levi wiped his face with his towel and groaned weakly in it. "Fuck, fuck, fuck..."

"What is it?" The blond asked him as the cleaner went back to his room.

The curry had already been placed in his fridge and the table was clean. Irwin knew how to act to not get on his nerves. And that was a bit strange because they didn't met long ago. They knew each other since what? Three weeks?

Spooky. Really.

"Did that brat leave his name?"

Smith widened his eyes and Levi tried to ignore how that gave the other a look similar to an owl.

"So you know him?" The blonde exclaimed with a faint smile. "And here I was thinking that you didn't have friends!"

"You're an asshole," Levi scrunched his nose and shook his head. "So? Did he leave his name or what?"

"He didn't leave anything at all," Irwin shrugged and he loosened his tie. "Only said that if we saw you before him, we had to let you know that he was waiting for you at the place you met."

"The place we met?" Levi furrowed his brows and sighed with an annoyed face. "Is that fucking brat nuts?"

"He seemed to know you pretty well," The salaryman commented. "Where did you meet?"

"Not your damn business," the other retorted through his gritted teeth.

"If you say so," Irwin shrugged and stretched his arms, making his joints pop loudly. "How about we hit the city? I'd fancy some drink right now."

"I don't want to be seen with a drunkard so I'll pass," Levi deadpanned and he smirked when he saw the blond frown. "Only the truth hurts, Smith."

"The truth couldn't hurt more than your words," the blond retorted with a heavy sigh. "I'll leave if that's the case. I'm pretty sure that Mike was going to go to that new bar. What was its name again... Shingan-something..."

"Shinganshina," Levi retorted with a muffled voice.

"That's right!" Smith snapped his fingers and smiled widely at the dark haired man. "How did you know it? I thought that you despised drinking out?"

"And I didn't," the other admitted weakly. "Irwin, leave now. I'm not feeling well."

The blond frowned and his eyes shined with worry before he sighed heavily and stood up.

"No problem," he said softly. "If you have a problem, you know where I'll be tonight. Still, it's a shame that you don't have a phone..."

"I hate those things so I don't see why I should have one," Levi retorted with a frown. "Leave, now."

Irwin nodded silently and left the apartment. Once the door was closed, Levi let himself fall to his knees and muffled his screams in his pillow. His hallucinations were getting more and more powerful. And his medication wasn't working.

He didn't want to get back to the madhouse. Not again. He hated it so much.

The time passed and Levi finally calmed enough to grasp what was happening around him.

There was a teenager wearing clothes like in his hallucinations. A teenager that he hadn't imagined because Irwin had seen him.

A teenager that knew him. And waited for him.

Levi gritted his teeth and stood up. His legs were a bit shaky and still hurt a bit but that didn't matter at the moment.

He took his vest, put his ranger boots and took his keys.

He had a brat to meet.

* * *

**(눈_눈)**

* * *

The sun was low in the sky when Levi parked his car in the empty parking lot. He got out of his car with a sigh and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the building. It was a big skyscraper, build at the beginning of the twentieth century when everyone still had big hopes for the future. Now, it was rented by multiples companies and was slowly decaying with time.

Not that it mattered for Levi.

For him, it was just a big ass building that he had to clean everyday.

The weather was mild and the man pondered over leaving his vest in the car or keeping it. As a small wind was slowly picking up, he decided to keep it and went into the skyscraper. His ID was enough to open the cleaners only door and he ended in the stairs that nobody ever used. Levi took a deep breath in preparation for whatever was to come and began climbing those innumerable stairs.

When he finally got to the rooftop, he had a small sheen of sweat and that disgusted him more than anything else. He kicked the door to the rooftop with all his might and his lips twisted into a smirk of contempt when he heard a gasp.

"Heichou!"

That damned voice full of hope. It really made him cringe and Levi hated it.

"What are you doing here, brat?" He spat as he walked to the trail.

He needed to see if some idiot had touched it. Levi didn't like to have his stuff touched by strangers. Something like a pet peeve, seriously.

"I..." The teen was looking at him with eyes full of hopes and Levi looked away.

He couldn't meet those green eyes. Not when they made his stomach churn and his chest clench. Also, his head was softly throbbing.

"I was waiting for you, Levi-heichou!"

Levi winced and put his hands on the trail. It had been surrounded by yellow tape and he quickly got it off. He began to scratch one of the residue of glue on the metal and closed his eyes with a tired sigh.

"Heichou, Heichou," he muttered under his breath. "What the hell does that even mean? Why are you always calling me that? And how the hell do you know my name when I don't even know yours?"

"Like I thought," the teen said softly as he walked towards the adult. "You really don't remember me..."

Levi kept his eyes closed and breathed calmly. He could feel the teenager's body heat creep around him and it felt strangely familiar. Like it was supposed to be like that.

"Levi-heichou," the boy whispered and Levi shuddered.

The brat was now against his back and he could feel the former's breath on his neck. It was disgusting. And it wasn't.

Levi didn't like it.

"I waited for you for years, Heichou," the brown haired young man added softly. "For lives, I kept looking for you..."

Levi clenched tight his eyes closed and took a shuddering breath.

"What the hell are you saying," he growled.

He heard a sniffle soon followed by a weak laugh.

"Are you crying?" he asked with incredulity. "Again? What a crybaby, you're indeed a brat..."

"Yes," the teen acquiesced and Levi froze when he felt the other's nose graze his nape. "I'm a hopeless brat so..."

"So what?"

"So will you be by my side, Heichou?"

The throbbing in his head increased and Levi suddenly opened his eyes. He turned around, his hands letting go of the trail and he put them on the boy's chest to push him away. They were close. Too close.

"Don't get your head full of shit, brat," he retorted and to his surprise, the brat didn't burst into tears (well, he already was crying) and run away.

He just blinked (with those fucking green eyes of his) and slowly, so very slowly, a smile widened on his lips. A smile so radiant that it succeeded in warming Levi's dried and almost left for dead heart.

"Yes, Heichou!"

Levi pursed his lips. His heart had just missed a beat and it had been the first time that it had happened since That Time. But, even as he knew that it was dangerous and that he should go to his car and take his medication, he preferred to stay on the rooftop and observed the teen's tearful smile and shining green eyes.

He noticed that the boy's ears and hands were red and Levi sighed heavily.

"Come on, Eren, let's get going. I want to drink tea," he muttered absentmindedly as he threw his vest to the boy.

The latter blinked and his eyes were suddenly so full of unshed tears that Levi froze in his steps, his hand on the handle of the door and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Y-you," the teen stuttered as he tried his best to keep the tears away. "You said my name!"

"What?" Levi cocked slightly his head and furrowed his brows. "The hell are you talking about?"

"You said my name!" The teen repeated and this time, he let the tears run freely on his face. An ecstatic smile was on his lips and he jumped to hug tightly the window cleaner.

Levi blinked in surprise and his whole body tensed. He hated close contact. He downright hated it. But that brat's arms were warm. Not like those cold white interns. And he didn't have a straightjacket on.

"You said my name, Heichou!" The teen sniffed happily and Levi made a face.

"Don't spread your snot on my hair," he snapped while he kicked the boy's stomach to freed himself.

"He-Heichou!" The latter protested in a whine. "At least, repeat my name another time! Please!"

Levi frowned and was ready to reject the teen when he was met with those tearful and hopeful green eyes. He groaned and rubbed his palms against his forehead. Why was he so weak against those eyes? He didn't even know that brat!

"Please!" The teen insisted.

It was slowly ticking Levi off. Those pleading eyes. His throbbing head. And the weather that was so freaking nice when yesterday had been such a big storm. Everything was pissing him off.

"Annoying," he muttered darkly.

"Huh?" The brat said with a hopeful tone.

That was Levi's last straw.

"You're so annoying, brat!" He kicked the door open and stalked into the stairs, the brat on his tail.

"Please, Heichou! One last time!"

"No! Piss off, brat!"

"Please, I swear that I won't disturb you anymore today!"

Levi gritted his teeth and continued going down the stairs. He could hear the brat stumbling sometimes but never falling. At least, he wasn't a klutz. But he couldn't swear that as he suddenly had some flashes of a brown haired young man with stunning green eyes stumbling over his own feet and falling in a bed. In his bed.

Levi shook his head and glared at the stairs.

"Please! Levi-heichou!"

"Shut up, Eren! You're pissing me off! Go bug Mikasa for all I care!" The dark haired man snapped and turned to tell off the teen.

But then, he froze.

What the hell had he just said? Who was Eren? Or Mikasa?

And why had those names felt so familiar on his tongue?

He heard a hiccup and rolled his eyes when he saw that the brat was once again crying. The boy had fell on his butt and was clinging for his life to the railing, his shoulders shaking with his silent sobs.

Levi observed that boy, that perfect stranger, cry and didn't move.

His throbbing had finally stopped and, just as he met those teary green eyes, the world finally adjusted.

"_Eren_," he breathed.

"It's good to see you again, Levi," the teen told him with a small and tearful smile.

That smile was the most fucking beautiful thing that Levi had seen in his miserable life of window cleaned/nutcase.

"Wipe off that dopey smile of your face, Jäger," he muttered and he began to go down the stairs once again.

But this time, he was going slow enough so the teen could follow him.

* * *

**And thus, the chapter ends here. And their story too. Or not as there is still so many things that have been left unsolved. So, until next time, review? **


End file.
